Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
In light of True Value launching its first new brand campaign in a decade, Hardware Retailing sat down with Jake Kalnitz, True Value senior vice president, chief merchandising officer, for an exclusive look into the new Hardware Hero campaign.
The geo-targeted campaign that will run in almost all 50 states starting April 1 is designed to connect consumers with hyper-local product solutions at their specific community store. Campaign creative utilizes a re-working of the famous ‘80s song “Jukebox Hero” to turn everyday homeowners into hardware, lawn care and paint heroes. The spots will evolve throughout the year to reflect seasonal needs of local consumers.
Read on to learn more from Kalnitz about the timing of the campaign, how it connects customers to True Value and how retailers can use it to engage with their communities.
Hardware Retailing (HR): What was the motivation for a new campaign now? What market and industry conditions are in place that make this time the right time for a new campaign?
Jake Kalnitz (JK): Local, independent businesses have been navigating a shifting, challenging retail environment. Consumers are pinching pennies and being choosy about how they spend their hard-earned dollars. Experts predict the entire retail industry will be relatively flat this year, with a few upticks here and there.
True Value knew this was the right time to launch a targeted, focused campaign to drive footsteps into our stores to support the growth of our retailers.
The best part about this campaign is how hyper-local it is. When we started building and developing these concepts last year in partnership with some of our retailers, we really wanted to make the point that it is no longer an effective use of dollars to, as I say, ‘peanut-butter-spread’ the message to people who are not your audience. That’s a big difference from what True Value did a decade ago, but, it’s been a decade! It was time to solve a 2024 challenge in a 2024 way. This is our response to a tough market. We’re going to find ways for our retailers to win. A campaign that reminds shoppers about how awesome their local hardware store is—from expert help to great deals on products—cuts through the overall retail noise to increase shoppers in store and their overall sales.
So much about this campaign is different from what we see in the home improvement retail space, tonally and in practice, and that was intentional to help our retailers thrive for decades to come.
HR: How will the new campaign help connect consumers with their local True Value store?
JK: Homeowners who turn to True Value know there are often stops and starts with DIY jobs, and they know they can rely on their local True Value to help them conquer these jobs. Through all of our consumer research, we found the three areas True Value owns in the retail space and where our stores have a right to win: convenience by being in the neighborhood and being easy to navigate; the right products and depth of assortments, not just aisles and aisles of SKUs; and most importantly, actual expertise.
Consumers told us they come to their local hardware store specifically because they’re in the middle of a project, and they know they can get the right help wherever they’re in that process. We heard that “YouTube is the new dad,” and how DIYers will show the store employees the video or the article, explain what they did and rely on the expert advice of our stores to keep momentum going.
From contractors on a job site to homeowners trying to fix the sink, the brick-and-mortar experience is so critical when that immediate need pops up. They don’t have time to wander mega stores or wait for something to be shipped, and they need face-to-face support from their neighbor who runs their local hardware store.
This campaign bridges the gap for consumers to help them actually get the job done by reminding them they have expert help and the right products at their local True Value.
HR: What research went into the campaign?
JK: Our agency partner, Laughlin Constable, worked with us to cut through the noise with a creative campaign that stands out from the competition and leans into the best things about True Value. And through our partnership with them, we created a campaign and program for our retailers that gives them and their customers the best economic outcome by outsmarting the market, not outspending.
After we wrapped all of our research and captured what the True Value brand stands for, the team at Laughlin recognized the correlation to the iconic song “Jukebox Hero” and how it connects to the idea of being a hardware hero. It uplifts the customer, the store and the overall drive for DIYing and being the champion of your home. When DIYers see the spots or interact with the campaign on social, it offers reassurance and confidence in their retail experience.
A campaign like this also celebrates and reinforces that special connection people have with their local hardware store, and that relationship plays a role in the expertise in our stores. It reminds DIYers that ‘oh yeah, my neighbor and his family own and operate that business, they know the community, they’re so trustworthy and knowledgeable, they get what I’m trying to accomplish.’
HR: What can retailers learn from this campaign?
JK: First, the importance of finding ways to invite your community into your store.
Retailers saw a substantial increase in customer traffic during the pandemic, which was great, but their challenge has been that consumer spending habits have changed, and inflation and the economic environment have dramatically shifted over the past year.
For independent hardware retailers to thrive, leveraging an iconic brand that has a clear position and winning place in the market, supported by the right call-to-action, is essential to driving traffic into their stores to take share from both traditional and non-traditional competition.
Our brand campaign goes beyond just advertising. It’s about telling our story, investing in our shared legacy and offering ways for our participating stores to connect with customers, from differentiated deals via True Value Days to a full brand refresh they can leverage as an omnichannel traffic driver.
Second, jumping off from that, is the emphasis on promotions, great deals and overall affordability. We want our stores to know that DIYers choose to take on projects for that sense of accomplishment and to save a few dollars. Helping their customers find great deals on what they actually need to check-off their to-do list should inform overall strategy.
And finally, I want retailers to know that True Value is here for them. We are here to grow their unique business that allows them to serve their communities in the ways that make sense for them, and I think this campaign supports that sentiment.
HR: You unveiled a sneak peek of the campaign at the Spring Reunion in February. What feedback did you receive? Are True Value retailers excited for the new campaign?
JK: Truthfully, everyone loved it. There was so much energy in the room and throughout the show floor that something fun and different was coming. It’s such a catchy tune, and it’s not anything like what we see in this industry. We heard that the spots are relatable, that it felt good to lean into the relationship between the store and the shoppers and that it will stand out in their market.
Retailers also really attached to the “Here For You” tagline in ways that were so genuinely meaningful to see. It’s a simple phrase, but it captures what True Value has been and will continue to be about. We are the original hardware store, and we own and live the ethos of being in the neighborhood, for the neighborhood.
HR: Along with the TV spots, what are some of the other components of the campaign?
JK: The :15 and :30 TV spots are running across nearly 50 states via connected TV, YouTube pre-roll, Meta and programmatic display. They take on variations for these platforms, whether that’s video or still images. Using the campaign as a starting point, we also have some other fun brand updates coming in the next few weeks.
